Cellulose is a polymeric compound which is a polymer of a multiplicity of glucose rings (glucopyranose units) linked and polymerized through β-1,4-glycoside bonds. Cellulose and derivatives thereof are now widely used in uses such as paper and various formed products (molded products).
Cellulose is a material having high hydrophilicity. However, cellulose is often derivatized and thereby hydrophobized before use, because the hydrophilicity may act disadvantageously in uses requiring water resistance (water proofness). Examples of such cellulose derivatives include cellulose acetate, cellulose acetate propionate, and cellulose acetate butyrate, each of which is obtained by reacting cellulose with an acylating agent such as acetic anhydride, propionic anhydride, or butyric anhydride. Such cellulose derivatives are commercially available in industrially available forms. In addition to the cellulose esters, other cellulose derivatives such as methylcellulose, ethylcellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose, hydroxypropylcellulose, and carboxymethylcellulose are commercially available in industrially available forms.
In addition to the above-mentioned cellulose derivatization techniques, for example, Non Patent Literature (NPL) 1 reports a technique of reacting cellulose with an alkylketene dimer to synthetically prepare a cellulose (3-oxoalkanoate). NPL 2 reports a technique of reacting cellulose with acetic anhydride and diketone to synthetically prepare a cellulose acetate (3-oxoalkanoate).